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Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501
The wnba is a shit product. I don't think you can make the same comparison. They haven't made money on their own. Uswnt has and a lot of it. Very big difference. There is nobody in the wnba even a fraction as popular as Alex morgan. Maybe Caitlin Clark is up and coming, but I find it really hard to believe that doesn't fizzle a lot once she goes pro. Maybe it's just me but I also don't see a ton of crossover. I think girls and women would rather watch better mens pros play basketball. Lots of women really love womens soccer . With the growth of women's soccer you've also seen an explosion of young girls playing soccer. That absolutely grows the US fan base that, let's be honest, views men's soccer as a side sport whereas for women it is THE sport. The wnba has tried to argue that but women's soccer's impact is exponentially bigger.
The wnba has failed despite nba owners obligated to run it at a loss. Women's soccer is the exact opposite. Arguably their earnings were funneled into growing men's MLS and development programs with little going into their own pro league. I get why but the resentment is understandable. Point being, the wnba has tried to make money but can't. Women's soccer is very popular despite lack of attention or investment.
For the record I dont think there needs to be equal pay. I also don't think any of it matters. This is a side bonus for men making a bazillion dollars in the pros. It is for now the main source of income for women. That's why the men didn't throw a fit.
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Comparing the USWNT and the WNBA is not a good comparison and I can agree with you on that. But I also think that a lot of the USWNT's popularity is based on national pride and them being (up until this WWC) the best in the world. People rally behind and support it, to which we both agree. Once they stop and go to their pro leagues in the US, people forget about them. The same people watching the USWNT rarely watch the professional leagues as attendance numbers reflect.
Again, this could all change by people actually putting their money into it and actually support it. It's not some devious plot to hold down women's athletics. The money is not invested because there is viewed as no positive ROI for it. It's much easier to rally around a team representing a nation than local professional teams. Heck people who don't give two whits about soccer still watch when the USMNT plays in the WC.
If money was funneled into the MLS, there was a precedent for it before and incentive to grow it. The fact that the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, and men's collegiate sports revolving around those pro sports have been a success while zero women's sports can say that (although the women's NCAA tourney this year seemed to do well). There is zero precedence to think funneling money into women's pro leagues will grow it and make it a money winner........zero.
Your argument that "Women's soccer is very popular despite lack of attention" makes no sense. If no one is paying attention then it must not be as popular as you claim. To think the men's team just agreed to this equal pay arrangement without throwing fits shows a complete lack of awareness. Opposing it would have been suicide. And perhaps the men make more internationally, especially the elite players, but your average MLS player does not make a bajillion dollars.
At the end of the day I would love to see the women's game grow, but I have my doubts it can/will until proven wrong as history says it will not.